Going back to well over 5,000 years ago, cats have become a well-loved companion for people across the globe, with their loving and independent nature making them the perfect addition to any household. And while we may think we know our furry friends pretty well, there are some amazing facts about cats you’ll be surprised to hear!

10 Amazing Facts About Cats:

Humans living with a happy cat have a lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

For us humans, sometimes we can imagine nothing better then spending our days sleeping and for cats this is exactly what they do. Typically cats spend around 70% of their lives sleeping which is a massive 16 hours a day! Wouldn’t that be nice?

Just like a human’s fingerprints, a cat’s nose is completely unique and is made up of tiny bumps and ridges that are used to identify different cats.

Although not a common everyday saying, a group of cats is called a clowder, a male cat is called a tom, a female cat is called a molly or queen.

While we all know that cats can see very well, cats actually also have powerful night vision which is vital in allowing them to see at light levels six times lower than what a human needs in order to see. This allows them to hunt in the dark or play while still being able to see clearly.

Despite what we may have grown up believing, cats are actually lactose-intolerant, meaning they have trouble digesting milk or dairy. The consumption of dairy can result in diarrhea or an upset stomach, so avoid treating your cat with a warm bowel of milk.

Cats love to meow and make noise however did you know that cats have over one hundred vocal sounds, while dogs only have about ten.

Our household cats are very fast. They can run at 30 mph or 48 kph which is faster than gold-winning 100 meter world record champion, Usain Bolt. This is highly useful in allowing them to catch prey and to hunt food, leaving birds and mice with minimal chance to escape, and also to get away from larger predators.

The purr vibrations of a cat can actually promote the healing of soft tissue injuries to their ligaments, tendons and muscles so that they can easily recover from any small injuries. This is due to their purr vibrations that range from 20-140 Hertz.

Unlike humans, cats don’t have a “sweet tooth” due to a mutation in a key taste receptor that prevents cats from tasting sugar. Cats naturally can survive off just meat (cats cannot be vegetarians as there is nutritional content in meat that they require to survive) and although you might occasionally find a cat that likes to eat sweet things, it is usually because of the smell or texture not the sweetness.